talkmagic.co.uk

Dear all,

Please be aware of the latest scam email going around, I know of at least 5 people who have had this and a quick google search showed many photographers, DJ's and other people nationwide have had the same.

It reads as follows:

Hi there
Please I'm Benson Fredi an event co-ordinator in County Dublin,i need your service for a client wedding ceremony coming up on 16th of May at 25, Leeson Street Lower, Dublin 2
So the event timing is 4pm-9pm approximately and 70-80 guest are expected for this grate day....You can forward me your quote for this booking if you will be available for this date...to enable me forward this to my client as soon as possible.

Have a great day!!!
Thank you
Benson.
Alowex Co Ltd
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Hi Dave.

One of our members (Magicdiscoman) has also received this email and posted it on the forum.

Do you happen to know what the scam is?

Ahh! I didn't know it had already been posted.

Yeah it's the normal scam, he say's he'll send you a deposit, it will end up being too much. He will ask you to bank it and send him the balance. His will bounce and he'll hope to get yours and cash it before it does.

I now of a few people who have replied to his emails thinking they are genuine.

Hi Dave.

Sorry, forgot to mention, it was offered as a possible booking in Ireland, as magicdiscoman was unavailable for the 'potential' booking!

So it's great that you have actually exposed it as a scam!

Cheers

Ahh, I see. Yes, good job then! It just goes to show that people are fooled by it!

You can here, a few other tradesmen have also recieved it:

http://www.weddingsonline.ie/discussion/viewtopic.php?p=2072252&sid=8cf738fd15dc273a0d58877ddf1be37a

Glad to have been of service.

DaveBonsall wrote:Yeah it's the normal scam, he say's he'll send you a deposit, it will end up being too much. He will ask you to bank it and send him the balance. His will bounce and he'll hope to get yours and cash it before it does.

I now of a few people who have replied to his emails thinking they are genuine.

I'm sorry, but if people are still ignorant enough to be falling for these scams then I don't have much sympathy. I know I was born at night, but it wasn't last night. Honestly, bank his deposit and return the balance? Are people seriously sending him the money back?

for me a deposit is non refundable so if you send me too much i'll keep it and return it only after iv'e been paid at the gigi asuming its more than the cost of the gig.
I posted it up as a cautionary note becuase i didn't get any feedback from a basic company search so wanted to know if anyone else had any dealings with them, thankfully our two threads have collided and people will be warned.

the moral of the story is always make it plain that moneys will not be refunded for deposits and bookings willnot be finalised untill said moneys have cleared in the account, before they send you any money, this usualy stops this type of thing.

A little digging revels that this address is a bistro called Nostromo. They're also aware of the scam: http://www.nostromo.ie/

Mr Benson Fredi (if indeed that is his name) has failed rather epically